Sacrificial Protection
by TheM0nkey
Summary: Sometimes people do bad things for the people that they love to protect them. Little one-shot, HarryxDaphne, AU!


The plan had been five long years in the making. Five long, exhausting and draining years that had all led to this moment.

The main courtyard of Hogwarts lay in ruin; huge holes are dotted along the sides of the old castle walls. The early morning haze slightly obscuring the valleys surrounding the castle and the half destroyed Quidditch pitch.

Four figures stood at opposite ends of the courtyard, Albus Dumbledore and Luke Potter on one side and Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter on the other. The survivors of the two sides watched intently from behind their leaders, all thoughts of battling each other lost to the sight of the four wizards in front of them.

"Give it up Dumbledore!" Shouter Voldemort, "Your forces are dwindling and are no match for my army!"

"I cannot do that Tom," Voldemort's eyes twitched as the old wizard called him by his true name.

"You are willing to let these people fight and die for your cause?" No one missed the slight irony in the fact that Voldemort was calling out Dumbledore for letting people die for him.

"The beauty of good people Tom is they are willing to do what must be done to protect the ones that they love". As Dumbledore finished speaking he caught Harry's gaze and gave a small nod that no-one seemed to catch.

"ENOUGH!" Many people behind Dumbledore and Luke shivered in freight as Voldemort's shout echoed throughout the surrounding mountains. "There may be only one victor! If you shall not surrender… We Fight!"

Instantly a dark purple spell shot from the Dark Lords bone white wand. Harry quickly engaged his younger brother in a duel. Everybody watched with baited breath as the four wizards dodged, weaved and fired spell after spell at each other.

Lily and James Potter, along with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin could do nothing but watch as Harry continued to push his considerable advantage over his younger brother. None of them wanting either of them to be seriously injured in their duel. Harry may have joined Voldemort's forces but he was still their family.

A variety of lights illuminated the courtyard as the four wizards continued their duel uninterrupted, the two factions too ensconced in the spectacle before them to think about firing on each other. It seemed as though Voldemort and Dumbledore had reached a stalemate, neither wizard seemingly able to break the others defence.

That was until Dumbledore seemed to stumble on a piece of rubble that lay scattered across the ground. A collective gasp emanated from the forces of the light as Voldemort pressed home his advantage, the sickly green light of the killing curse illuminating the faces of the crowd as they watched it sail towards the elder wizard.

What no one expected was to see Dumbledore recover in the few seconds it took that spell to make its way across between the two wizards and transfigure the same piece of rubble he had tripped on into a large perfect mirror.

A scream of 'HARRY!' rang out from the crowd, distracting the eldest Potter child from his duel with his brother and causing him to turn just in time to see his Masters curse reflect off Dumbledore's mirror and sail strait towards him.

Time almost seem to slow down as Harry watched the curse hit into his chest. The entire crowd, both Light and Dark, standing silently as he looked up catching the shocked gaze of the person that had called out his name in the crowd, the petite Blonde obscured slightly amongst the large group pf people.

 **Flashback – 4 years' prior current time**

Daphne had first met Harry Potter during the Christmas holidays of her third year. She'd heard the rumours of the infamous Shrieking Shack and decided that she just had to see for herself if they were true or not. Walking slowly down the overgrown path to the old building, her sense of curiosity over powering her other senses that would make her notice the rapid drop in temperature.

Making it to the large, flaking wooden door, she grasped the metal door handle before quickly pulling it away in shock as she felt the freezing temperature of the metal. Her eyes went wide as she suddenly noticed her breath condensing on every exhale and she felt something coming towards her from behind. Turning slowly, it was then that she saw what was causing the drop in temperature, four Dementors were gliding towards her at speed.

Daphne could only watch, fear keeping her rooted to the spot, as the Dementors got closer and closer towards her, their cloaks billowing wildly in the wind from the speed they were moving. She could feel the effects of the soul sucking creatures, her worst memories being played over and over again in the forefront of her mind.

Just as she thought that the creatures would be nearly upon her, berating herself for heading out to the edge of the grounds whilst the Dementors were stationed at the school, the edges of a bright white sphere passed through her and continued expanding outwards towards the creatures.

A large stag of pure white light launched itself over the small third year and began charging at the Dementors. Its large antlers thrusting into the creature's midsections and forcing the foul things back away from Daphne. A second stag quickly joined the first in pushing the Dementors back, the two of them combining their efforts in protecting the young girl that was behind them.

Sensing that the girl was a lost cause to them, the four Dementors scattered back to their normal positions on the edge of the grounds, watching and waiting to see if Peter Pettigrew would make the stupid decision of attempting to enter the castle.

"I'd take this if I were you". The sound of a deep, well spoken voice caught Daphne's attention instantly. Spinning around to face the source, she quickly felt a blush from on her pale cheeks as she came face to face with the King of Slytherin himself, Harry Potter, holding a bar of Honeydukes chocolate in his palm.

Harry was known as the King of Slytherin because everyone on the house held the deepest respect for the Fifth year. Being the eldest son and heir to one of the oldest family's in Britain, nobody wanted to disrespect him and those that made the stupid mistake of doing so soon found themselves quickly ostracised from Slytherin House.

Daphne silently grabbed the chocolate out of Harry's palm, breaking off a small square and placing it in her mouth. She quickly felt the warm calming effects the chocolate had as it melted in her mouth.

"Now what is a cute little third year doing at the Shrieking Shack whilst those foul creatures are out patrolling the grounds? Hmmm?"

Daphne felt her blush intensify under Harry's curious gaze and the fact that he had called her cute.

"I-I was… I just," she stuttered, "just curious about this place. I'd heard all the rumours and I wanted to see for myself if they were true." Daphne quickly looked down at her shoes when she'd finished.

"Well," he began, "Miss Greengrass is it?"

"Daphne!" instantly responded.

A warm smile spread across Harry's lips, "Well then… Daphne. How about we head back to the castle and I'll see if I can answer any questions you might have about this old building? Besides," He took her small hand his his own, "We should probably head back before more Dementors decided that we are worth another go at".

Harry guided Daphne back towards Hogsmead Village, cheerily answering any and all of the questions the now animated third year, much thanks to the bar of chocolate she still held in her left hand, was asking him.

 **Flashback – 1.5 year's prior current time**

"You don't have to do this Harry!"

Harry simply held his girlfriend of two years as she sobbed into his chest. They were sat on one of the new sofas in the Shrieking Shack. Harry had renovated the inside of the old building to provide himself and Daphne a sanctuary of sorts away from the castle, and as a place for the two of them to meet now that he had graduated.

"You know I have to Blue Eyes"

Harry cupped Daphne's pale cheek, his thumb gently wiping away the small tear that ran down her smooth skin, before planting a small his on her red lips.

"You know there is no other way for this to all be over," he continued, "I would love nothing more than for the two of us to run away together and forget everything but I can't do that. I can't leave everybody to suffer".

Daphne just tightened her hold on the Raven-haired boy, Harry's hand gently rubbing her back as she continued to cry softly into his chest.

A week later the news would break that Harry Potter had joined Voldemort's growing forces, having been found leading a raid on a small muggleborn and halfblood community in the south of Norfolk.

 **Current Time**

Harry, still holding Daphne's gaze, gave her a small wink as time seemed to return to normal. A pale green light erupted from his chest, continuing to grow in intensity. People looked on silently as the light suddenly exploded, the blast launching Harry's body out of the courtyard and down towards the valley below.

Voldemort turned to watch the lifeless body of his lieutenant sail over the grounds surrounding the castle. His occlumency training struggling to keep his astounded feeling from showing on his face. As the body disappeared down into the valley behind the Death Eaters, Severus Snape stepped forward out of the crowd of Dark Wizards with his wand drawn. Voldemort assumed that Severus was stepping up to take Harry's place.

It was the last thing that crossed his mind as a killing curse from Snape's raised wand smashed into his chest.

Death Eaters looked on in horror as their master slumped to the ground, all signs of life fading away from the Dark Lords red eyes. The inner circle of Death Eaters were especially shocked as no shade rose from the lifeless body, signalling that the soul anchors that kept their master tied to the mortal realm were gone.

A cheer rang out from the forces of the light as they quickly jumped into action, stunning Death Eaters and making sure they had no method to escape justice this time.

In the months that followed, any remaining Death Eater stragglers were rounded up and placed on trail for their crimes. Not even the richest of the lot being able to bribe their way out this time around.

No body had ever been found of Harry's. The few weeks following the final battle has seen the Potter's and their close friends combing the area in an attempt to retrieve Harry's body from its current resting place. When people had questioned why they would want to look for the body of their Death Eater son rather than leave him to rot, James Potter had simply responded with, 'He may have turned to the Dark but I still wish to bury my son with the dignity that should be allowed for all humans on this earth'. When Dumbledore had eventually given his agreement on the matter, people left the Potters alone.

A tomb stone had been erected next to the graves of all previous Potters on the family plot in the cemetery of Godric's Hollow.

Daphne stood staring at the white marble stone, a small tear running down her pale cheek as she relieved her memories of Harry in her mind.

"Come on now Blue Eyes. Wipe away those tears"

Daphne spun in shock to face the only person she had ever allowed call her by a nickname.

"HARRY!" she shouted.

Harry smiled as Daphne ran towards him before he raised his hand to his now stinging cheek. He only had a few moments to look down at the blonde that had slapped him in shock only to be quickly engulfed in a tight hug.

"That was for not coming back sooner" she said as she felt Harry's arms circle her waist and pull her closer into his chest. Looking up into his deep green eyes, she pulled him down into a deep kiss, "But that was for coming back".

 **Two years later**.

 _Dear Professor Dumbledore_

 _It is with great pleasure that we send you the required paper work in order to register our two children Alex and Isis Potter for attendance at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry for when they come of the required age._

 _We hope you are well._

 _Yours,_

 _Harry and Daphne Potter_

 _P.S._

 _I do hope you can prepare the world so that it will be ready and accepting for when I make my return when my children attend Hogwarts. You better not die before then Albus, you hold the secret to my eventual innocents._

 _Harry Potter._

Dumbledore chuckled as he leant back in his grand chair and placed the letter down on his desk. _No need to worry Harry, I'll make sure everything is ready._

But that's for another story…


End file.
